Former for supporting hollow felted articles



(No Model-) I k A. A, HAWLEY. FORMER FOR SUPPORTING HOLLOW PELTEDARTIOLES;

No. 258,917, Patented June 6, 1882.

N, FETERi FhoIo-Lilhognpher. Wuhinglnn. CLC.

' UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED A. HAWLEY, OF MERRIMAO, ASSIGNOR TO THE MERINO SHOE COMPANY, OFBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

FORME R FOR SUPPORTING HOLLOW FELTED ARTICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 258,917, dated June 6,1882.

Application filed February 13, 1882. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED A. HAWLEY, of Merrimac, in the county ofEssex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have'invented an ImprovedFormer for Supporting Hollow Felted Articles During the ProcessofFinishing the Outer Surface, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to formers to be used infinishing the surface of boots and shoes made from wool by felting wholewithout seams,-as described in patents to Palmer and Houghton and toHawleys, heretofore issued; but itis also applicable tohats and to anyother hollow felted article the surface of which is to be finished bysandpaperin g or other abrasive action.

The object of the invention is to make a former which will distend andcompletely fill the hollow article to be finished on it, and withsufflcient rigidity to hold it in form during the process of finishing,and. at the same time so light that it can be held in the hands of theoperator without fatigue, and having such elasticity that it will yieldto a moderate pressure; and it consists of a flexible elastic-air-tightbag in form approximating to the form of the hollow article to befinished on it, introduced into the interior of the article to befinished, and there inflated with compressed air, so that it willcompletely distend and fill the hollow article to be finished on it.

In the drawings annexed to'illustrate this invention, Figure 1 shows aboot felted from wool whole, without seam or joining of parts, with arough surface, as it comes from the process of felting. Fig. 2 shows anair-tight flexible elastic bag of a form similar to that of the boot,having a neck at the top connecting it with a metallic faucet, which'isopened to admit air into thebagor to discharge it from it, and is closedwhen the bag is sufficiently inflated in the boot to distend it to itsproper size and form to retain the air in it under sufficientcompression while the boot is submitted to the process of finishing byabrasion. Fig. 3 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a felted woolboot and a side view of the flexible elastic former in it inflated withcompressed air. Fig. 4. is a shoe of wool, felted whole, with a flexibleelastic former inflated with air in it.

piece of sand-paper or on a block in the hand of the operator, and laterwith the sand-paper or sand or other suitable abrasive substance affixedto the edge of a wheel which is made to revolve rapidly. In eithermethod itis necessary to support the walls of the boot or other articlefrom the inside, and this has always been done by inserting a woodenformer of such shape and dimensions as would completely fill and distendthe boot or other article to its full sizeand shape. Such a former madeof wood is quite heavy, and as it has to be held in the hands of theoperator against the edge of the revolving abrading-wheel without anyguide or gage, itis not only quite fatiguing but very difficult to sosupportand handle a boot with a wooden former in it that satisfactorywork can be done, and it will often happen in the hands of the mostexperienced operators, and more with inexperienced ones, th at thesurface of the boot will be brought against the wheel in such a mannerthat thin places will be-made in the fabric by too much abrasion, andsometimes holes will be made through it, and thus cause a loss ofmaterial and labor, as wool which has been felted cannot be restored andused again.

'I make the flexible elastic former of sheetrubber so cut and joined asto form an air-tight bag of suitable form and dimensions,'with a neckextending to a suitable faucet to close and retain the compressed air,and through which it can be introduced into the air-tight elastic bag.The air may be forced in by an air-pump or by any other practicablemeans. I use an airpump and a reservoir for compressed air, from which Itake air into the former by a very small diameter of tube, not greaterthan one hundredth part of an inch, so that the former will not befilled too quickly; but this method, though probably the best, is notindispensable. This former, being inserted'in the interior cavity oftheboot or other article, is con 1 handle, and, though it maintains theform of the boot, it is so elastic that it yields to pressure, and thereis little, it any, liability to make thin places or holes in the fabricby accidentally holding the boot against the wheel with too muchpressure, as the great elasticity of the former gives it a tendency torebound, so that the rapid motion of the wheel will throw the bootentirely out of contact with it.

It is obvious that this flexible elastic former can be used with equaladvantage in finishing the surface of boots, shoes, hats, or any otherhollow article made of wool felted.

' I claim as new and my invention- ALFRED A. HAWLEY.

Witnesses:

CHs. HOUGHTON, J. F. PICKERING.

